Shifter: Stefan's Mark

by Jaden Sinclair

  "Stefan!” Natasha walked into the dinning room with concern on her face and a large salad bowl. “What in the world is going on?"

  "Not now, Mother,” Stefan growled. He grunted once when Sidney managed to make contact with her fist to his stomach.

  "Is that any way to treat her?” Natasha went on.

  "Mother, please.” Stefan moaned, fighting to get hold of Sidney's wrists.

  "Someone get this prick off of me!” Sidney screamed.

  A deep chuckle sounded. “What an intriguing way to bring your mate to lunch,” Dedrick said as he settled at the table across from Sidney. Ignoring the obvious tension between herself and Stefan, he opened his newspaper and began to read.

  "Knock it off, Dedrick,” Natasha snapped. “Stefan, please.” She placed the bowl on the table, giving her son a dirty look. “I didn't raise you to be a bully."

  "You could have fooled me.” Sidney gritted her teeth in frustration and tried to push herself up again. Stefan shoved her back down once again. “You are pissing me off!” Sidney yelled working to remove his hands from her shoulders.

  "I don't care,” he stated. He then leaned down into her. “I will tie you down and feed you if I must!” Stefan whispered low in her ear.

  Sidney began to relax, and only then did he let go of her and sit down on her left. Skyler came in and sat down. She smiled at everyone, but the smile quickly left when she glanced at her mother.

  "You are late,” Natasha stated, handing a pitcher of tea to Dedrick. She then glared at Stefan. “You need to calm down."

  "Oh, I am as calm as they come, Mother.” Stefan remarked, looking at Sidney coldly.

  "So, Skyler,” Natasha stated, “what are you up to?"

  Sidney didn't pay attention to the conversation around the table. She stared down at her plate as Stefan filled it. Pouting, she refused to eat. Stefan didn't say a word, just kept his eye on her from the corner of his eye. With a muttered curse, Sidney picked up her fork and stabbed at the food violently. She ignored the chuckle that escaped Stefan.

  Dedrick broke the tension. “Stefan, the east wing of the house is empty. I think you should have it.” Dedrick took a bite before continuing. “Sidney and you will need the space. The master suite there is very nice.” He smiled, showing a small hint of humor.

  "Dedrick!” Natasha started to say.

  "When?” Stefan broke in, with all seriousness. He looked at Sidney quickly before giving his full attention to his brother.

  "Now.” Dedrick stated. “Your things are being moved as we speak."

  "I thank you."

  "Dedrick, I don't think it's your place to do this or the time.” Natasha stated, her lips thinning with her anger.

  "I think it's the perfect time,” Dedrick answered.

  "I don't,” Sidney said angrily, throwing down her napkin. “No one asked me what I wanted. I don't want to share a room with him.” Sidney rose and stalked away from the table and the overbearing ogres who sat there. “I don't want to be in the same damn house with him!"

  Sidney watched Stefan hang his head down and slowly place his own napkin on the table. He took a deep, calming breath acting as if he was reaching for control.

  "Stefan, don't do anything rash.” Natasha remarked. “This is all new, and she just needs some time is all."

  Stefan pushed from the table and stood. “No, Mother. That's not what she needs.” He gave his mother a tight smile.

  "I need jackshit from you!” Sidney yelled from the other room.

  "Excuse me,” Stefan remarked, standing up.

  Natasha sat back in her chair, and sighed. “And here I thought he was the level-headed one."

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter Five

  A tight smile turned up the corner of his lips. It was the kind of smile that a man pushed to the edge would give someone. His icy glare found Sidney as she started to head up the stairs. Ignoring the chuckles and smart-ass remarks from his brother, Stefan followed her. Catching up with her midway up the stairs, he snared her arm in a vice like grip and led the way to their new room.

  "Get your damn hands off me,” Sidney said through gritted teeth. Once again, she tried to yank her arm from his hand, but it did no good. His grip was iron.

  The more she tried to pull herself free, the tighter his grip became. At the entrance to their new bedroom, he pushed open the door and roughly shoved her inside. Niceness was out the door as of right now.

  "You've got problems!” Sidney yelled as she whipped around to face Stefan, taking a few steps back, away from his reach.

  Stefan looked at her hard, eyes heated with his controlled anger. “I don't have a problem.” His voice faded to a hushed stillness, becoming thicker and almost dangerous. “It is the attitude you have that is the problem.” Stefan felt his sexual hunger start to rise, and this time, he didn't do a damn thing to control it. This time, he wanted her to see how dangerous he could be, how demanding he was. How much he wanted her.

  "Damn right I have an attitude,” she snapped back. “I have a problem with the thought of you daring to think that you have the right to dictate to me.” Her hands went to her hips, aggravation showing in her eyes. She stood straight, so straight that one might think a broomstick was stuck up her back. Her raised chin completed the challenge that her body language tossed out. “I am not your fucking property, girlfriend, or wife. We don't know each other, and I will be damned if I spread my fucking legs for you just because you claim that I have no choice.” She took a deep breath. “Fuck you, Stefan!” she screamed. “Because I have a choice."

  Stefan growled before his hand came up to rub the bridge of his nose. “This has to stop.” He sighed deeply. He tensed with frustration. Stefan didn't know what he needed to do or say, only knew that something had to be done. She needed to understand what was going on. “Damn it, Sidney, you need to accept your fate. How the hell do you think I found you? You really think I am doing this for the hell of it?” he growled. “I can't get into another's mind like I can yours. Don't you understand that?” he charged. “Do you get that when I was in your dreams, in your thoughts, that that might be how I discovered you were mine?” He pushed his fingers into his hair, messing it up. “That is how the males of my race find their mates, we connect with your mind, and I wish to hell you could accept that."

  "Accept my fate? You've got some nerve to say something like that to me.” Sidney charged up to him and poked him in the chest. Anger came off her in tidal waves. “You took me from my home.” Poke. “Stole my life.” Poke. “And now you want me to fuck you and act like nothing is wrong, even after all that shit in the woods.” Out of nowhere, she slapped him, hard, so hard that Stefan took a step back. His cheek stung, and he closed his eyes, knowing she had left a red hand print. “You can go straight to hell,” she hissed.

  "Okay, I think you two need to step back.” Natasha dashed into the room, coming between them.

  "I think you are right, Mother.” Stefan said, giving Sidney a hard look, which caused his eye to twitch. “I do need some air."

  Stefan slammed the door behind him. He was breathing so fast because of his anger that he could barely see straight. All this time he knew it was going to be a challenge, a fight, but damn it, he wasn't prepared for her to not even listen to him. Stefan held so much hope that she would see what was between them and try to get past the fact that, yes, he had kidnapped her and, yes, he was sort of holding her here at his home, but he cared about her. For him, there was no other out there for him. There was enough history between them that she should accept him with open arms. But that was his fantasy. In that room with his mother was the reality. That reality didn't want him the way he wanted her.

  "Shit,” he mumbled to himself. Stefan hung his head down, crossed his arms over his chest, and worked at calming his anger.

  Stefan's thoughts went back to his father. The morning before his first hunt, he had been so young and so happy to finally have his father all to himself.
His mother hadn't been sure about the hunt. She thought Stefan was too young, but Drake Draeger wanted this one moment with his youngest child before the next came along, for that morning Natasha had announced she was having another baby.

  "I want you to stay here. Do you understand me?"

  The hands that always held him, comforted him, were now shoving Stefan into a dark hole in a tree.

  Tears fell from the little boy's eyes at the thought of his daddy leaving him.

  "Don't leave me, daddy,” he sobbed. “Please!"

  "If they find you, they will kill you."

  Stefan groaned and hit the wall behind him with both hands. He didn't want to remember that moment, didn't want to recall how he had cried like a baby when his father pushed him into a hollow tree.

  "Having problems, little brother?"

  Stefan snapped his head up and there stood Dedrick. The man looked as alone and as cold as Stefan felt. Dedrick was four years older than he and, by right, should be the one having to deal with an unwilling mate, not Stefan.

  "Everything is just fucking peachy,” Stefan grumbled back. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Mom is in there with her.” Stefan hung his head again. “Fuck.” He groaned. “I didn't think it was going to be like this."

  Dedrick snickered at him. “Well, what the hell did you expect? She would welcome you with open arms?” Stefan glared at him, causing Dedrick to laugh. “Holy shit! You did."

  "Give me a break here, Dedrick."

  Dedrick rubbed his face. “Okay. Look, I'm not in your shoes, so I don't know what advice is good. But here is what I do think you should do.” Dedrick rested his hand on the wall and leaned next to Stefan. “Time isn't with you right now. The full moon is tomorrow night. The talking shit isn't working either. All it's doing is causing the two of you to fight. So I say, do what you have been doing with her mind. When Mom comes out, pull all the strings. Seduce her. Plain and simple."

  Stefan said nothing. He looked at his bother and took in what he said. With a nod, Dedrick pushed off the wall and left him there.

  "Plain and simple,” Stefan repeated. “Yeah, nothing is plain and simple where Sidney is concerned."

  * * * *

  The moment the door closed, Sidney let out her breath she had been holding, walked to the bed, and sat down. “Jesus,” she moaned, dropping her face into her hands. “What is going on here?"

  "Honey, you need to back off some.” Natasha strolled over to the bed also and sat down next to Sidney. She picked up her hand, patting it softly. “Pushing a man like Stefan isn't a good thing. He's already on the edge as it is."

  "I have got to get out of here,” Sidney said, trying to get back up on her feet.

  Natasha stopped her by tugging on her hand. “Running away doesn't solve anything. Sit back down."

  "I can't stay here,” Sidney said. “I can't sleep with him. I just can't."

  "Why not?” Natasha asked, cocking her head to one side. “Do you find him repulsive?"

  Sidney looked at the woman as if she had lost her mind. She yanked her hand away, standing up and backing away from her. “Excuse me? Are you out of your mind as well?"

  Natasha smiled. “I'm just trying to understand is all.” She crossed one leg over the other. “I was in your shoes at one time. My husband took me from my family and mated with me. But that was a little different. We are both shifters, so the threat of my father or brothers coming was out of the question.” She chuckled. “Once they heard that Drake Draeger found a mate and I was it, they were all happy. Everyone but me.” Natasha shook her head as if she was shaking off a memory. “But that's not the point. What I am trying to understand is why you two don't just go with the flow? You obviously have some chemistry."

  "Why not go with it?” Sidney snapped, her anger coming back in full force. “I don't sleep around, and I sure as hell won't sleep with someone I don't know."

  Natasha looked at Sidney. Her smile slowly turned into a silent “Oh” as it dawned on her. “Are you ... no, you can't,” Natasha stuttered, then frowned. “Do girls still do that now days?"

  "One, yes,” Sidney stated, hands back on her hips. “And two, it is none of your damn business."

  Natasha sighed deeply. “Sidney, I'm not trying to interfere here. I'm only trying to help you and give advice. You need to understand that to push a male like Stefan could be dangerous for you."

  "I am getting really tired of everyone telling me what I should and shouldn't do,” Sidney said with her teeth gritted together.

  "Oh, honey.” Natasha chuckled. “I'm not trying to tell you what to do, only give you some motherly advice. Men like Stefan are very different from the men you know. One thing being that they can get very aggressive.” Natasha stood and walked to Sidney. She stood in front of her, rubbing her arms gently in a motherly fashion. “He could hurt you, and I think that is the reason he is trying so hard now to make you understand. When his time comes, he will be out of control."

  Sidney opened her mouth to speak, but Stefan came back in. Everything about him was calm except his eyes. They still held something back. On a closer inspection, she saw the tension still in his shoulders.

  "Mother, I need to be alone with Sidney,” Stefan stated, keeping his eyes fixed on Sidney.

  Natasha nodded and rubbed Sidney's arms once more before turning and walking toward the door. Once there, she stopped and whispered something to Stefan, who nodded in acknowledgement.

  "Save it,” Sidney said the moment the door closed. She rubbed her forehead as if a headache was going to come at any moment. “You have nothing to say that I want to hear."

  "Do you remember when we met years ago?"

  Stefan took a step forward. She saw the determination in his eyes, saw that no matter what she might say or do, she was not going to have her way. Before Sidney had a chance to respond, Stefan went on.

  "I told you I would have you.” He frowned. “Did you really believe that there was anything that could keep me from you? In case you've forgotten what I once told you, let me refresh your memory. Another man will never, ever touch you.” He hissed. “Only me!” he yelled, hitting his chest. He pointed at her. “You cemented that promise every time you put my jacket on through the years."

  "Promised you?” she yelled in disbelief. “I promised you nothing! I was just a kid then.” She turned her back on him, one hand on her hip, the other filtering through her hair. “If I knew you were going to try to hold me to that crap, I never would have put the damn thing on,” she softly replied. She turned on him, and he could almost feel the fire in her eyes. “You can't hold me to a promise made by a little girl."

  "Oh, I can't?” The deadliness was back in his voice. He took a step closer, showing with his body just how dangerous he could be if pushed too far. He was calm, too calm. “So why did you wear it, and keep wearing it?” He eyed her up and down, eyes flashing quickly to red, then back to his normal color. “Wore it all those years?"

  Sidney looked deep into his eyes and tried to think of a good reason or any reason good enough to explain why she wore that jacket all this time. Nothing came. She had no good reason or explanation to give, but Sidney felt like she couldn't give up yet. She couldn't let him know that he had a point. She did wear it, did think about him, and did wish he would come back and sweep her off her feet. Two out of three happened, but she wanted all three. She wanted that fairy tale that she wrapped around herself, not this nightmare. And if she couldn't have it all, then he wasn't going to get anything out of her.

  "Your imagination is running wild. It must have been Josh that you felt me thinking about, since I have somewhat dated him.” She glared once more at him. “But I would never stoop so low as to think of you."

  "Liar.” He growled, his eyes flaring with red. He took a step forward, forcing her to take two back. “You think I have been fucking playing games all this time, Sidney?” His voice dropped in tone, becoming almost threatening. “Do you think it has been fun for me to se
duce you in your mind and not have you close to touch?” Another growl, another step. “Then, to have you in my home and still not get what I want!” He finished at a yell.

  "At last we have honesty between us?” she cried back, fighting the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. “You don't care about me. This has been nothing more than a kidnapping devised to get what you want. I promise you, you won't get it! You can rot in hell!” With each word, her voice rose until it settled into a shriek. Taking a step back, she breathed deeply, trying for control as she glared at him.

  Stefan stared at her. His eyes shifted back to their normal color, and his body no longer held any tension. He stood viewing her the same way he had years ago when chained to the wall. “No more games.” He sighed. “I am not playing anymore, Sidney,” he said calmly.

  Sidney felt the chills race down her spine. The way he spoke, the calm in his voice had her worried. Very worried. But she stood her ground. She met him with the same defiant expression as before, refusing to back down to him. The soft, tender way he looked at her seemed to break the shield she had around her heart despite her desire to remain aloof. Her chin trembled, and her hands shook. “It was never a game to me, Stefan,” she told him, her voice shaking as she spoke.

  "You have no idea what I've been through,” he spoke softly. “Years of wanting you, lusting after you, loving you from a distance, imagining the feel of you ... the taste of you, but never being able to touch you.” Stefan's voice was quiet—calm.

  "And you blame me for that?” Sidney was hesitant, and her chin wouldn't stop quivering.